Last night’s Canucks-Blackhawks game was the worst example of officiating I’ve ever seen.
Am I mad that the Blackhawks lost? No. The Canucks are a damn good team.
I am mad that the Blackhawks did not lose fair and square, but because of some very questionable calls.
Consider the following:
- What should have been the first goal by the Blackhawks–and the game–was waived off due to goaltender interference.But there was no goalie interference, other than a Canucks defender getting in Roberto Luongo’s way. Why was this call not video reviewed?
- The Canucks first goal was actually an offside play. The puck left the zone before defenseman Christan Ernhoff slap shot it past ‘Hawks goalie Marty Turco. What was the linesman doing? I know hockey is fast, but linesmen have one job to do–they should do it right.
- Roberto Luongo got tangled up with one of his teammates in the third period, resulting in a goal mouth scramble that could have led to a goal for the Blackhawks. That is until the ref whistled the play dead, claiming that the net was dislodged. But the net wasn’t even touched.
- Again in the third, Patrick Sharp was tripped while shooting on the Canucks goal. His feet were taken from underneath him with a stick, causing Sharp to crash headlong into the boards. Why no tripping call or penalty shot? Taking the puck carrier out by knocking his feet from under him is a penalty in EVERY version of hockey (ice, roller, floor).
- Brent Seabrook got a holding penalty in the third period that was total b.s. Normally, I’d concede a bad penalty call here and there, but at this point it seemed the refs would do whatever it took to make the Blackhawks lose.
Waving off a good goal, whistling a play dead due to a dislodged net that wasn’t dislodged and blatantly ignoring a flagrant trip were 3 calls that clearly cost the Blackhawks the game that could have–and should have–been theirs.
Head of NHL Officiating Terry Gregson should demote referees Eric Furlatt and Chris Rooney to the AHL immediately. Those are the 2 clowns who were officiating the ‘Hawks-‘Nucks game. Obviously, they were watching some other game.